There are many systems of scaffolding available for use by the construction industry and all of them use the same basic components to erect the scaffolding. These basic components, namely standards, ledgers, transoms, platform boards, adjustable screwbases and braces, are required in great numbers and are interconnected with one another to achieve the desired height and configuration necessary for a particular application. The erection procedure using these individual components usually demands that one level of scaffolding be completed at a time and then each subsequent level is built upon the previous one. Similarly, it is conventional when disassembling scaffolding to remove the individual components in reverse order to that used during the erection procedure.
Clearly, the known scaffolding systems require considerable time and manpower to erect or take down which causes significant cost to be incurred and delays commencement of work.
It is also readily apparent that because there are so many individual components required in such scaffolding systems it is extremely easy for parts to be misplaced which necessarily incurs significant replacement costs and can lead to delays in the erection procedure. Additionally, during both erection and disassembly it is extremely inconvenient, particularly at great heights, for workmen to handle and remove the individual components from the scaffolding. Accordingly, there is a great tendency to allow components to drop or fall, especially when sections are being dismantled since this is quicker than lowering them. These actions can create serious accidents and damage to the individual components, both of which lead to additional costs being potentially incurred.
Moreover, the transportation, sorting and storage of large volumes of individual components adds even further to loss of time and manpower, as well as loss of storage space and general inconvenience.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a scaffolding module and a method of scaffolding which will overcome, or substantially ameliorate, the abovementioned disadvantages.